African commemorations have been ignored or marginalised

Jan 20, 2026 Letters

Dear Editor,

Congratulations to the Ministry of Culture for its exciting launch of Mashramani 2026 and its impressive calendar of 20 scheduled activities.

2026 is the 400^th Anniversary of Africans in Guyana. For such an important anniversary, there is a strange and egregious silence. I would have thought that any 400^th Anniversary and especially one that celebrates those who cleared 15,000 square miles with their bare hands and who lost 473,000 lives in the process, would be a significant event in Guyana’s cultural and political history.

History has informed us that Africans were here on this land for 212 years before Indians from India, 208 years before the Portuguese from Madeira, and 227 years before the Chinese came from China during the indentureship period, which lasted from 1834 to 1917. History has also informed us that Africans have been in Guyana for 100 years before the Macushis, Wapishanas and Arekunas and 200 years before the Wai Wais.

Over the last years, it seems as if African commemorations have been ignored or marginalized. Even the 1763 Cuffy Rebellion is subdued during February when Mashramani is celebrated over this historic event. Last year, there was a 40 page insert in the Guyana Chronicle for Indian Arrival Day. There was no insert for Emancipation Day.

Culture has been correctly defined as more than the selective celebration of particular events. When we speak of the culture of a place, we are talking about far more than its artistic expressions or its ‘cultural products’ – literature, music, dance, art, sculpture, theatre, film and sport. All of these, of course, are important expressions of the culture of any social group and are part of its shared joy in the business of being alive. But culture is more than all of that. Culture is about shared patterns of identity, symbolic meaning, aspiration, and about the relationships between individuals and groups within that society. Culture is also about the relationships between ideas and perspectives, about self-respect and a sense of security, about how individuals are socialised and values are formed and transmitted. It is also deeply intertwined with structures of power and wealth.

Over the last 6 years, the government have been re-branding Guyana away from its Independence motto of “One People, One Nation, One Destiny” to that of “One Guyana”. We have seen this brand on national events, holidays, church events, cricket and even on a “stink and dutty” event targeting the African community.

The question now becomes what culture are we trying to cultivate in Guyana especially since there are estimates that there are over 100,000 Venezuelans in Guyana? And especially since the culture of a country is a sum of all of the cultures of its Peoples. Why are our political leaders silent and oblivious to this 400^th Anniversary. There should be a Parliamentary acknowledgement of the anniversary as would be the case in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad or any self-respecting sovereign state. Later this year, the United States will have massive government and civil society events to mark the 250^th anniversary of their Independence in 1776. The Guyana Reparations Committee applied two weeks ago for the use of Castellani House for an Exhibition in February to acknowledge this 400^th anniversary.

History has shared many lessons of what happens when culture becomes driven by politics or ethnic ideology. This slippery slope should be rejected by all patriotic Guyanese for as Marcus Garvey one said: “A People without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots“. This powerful statement emphasises that understanding one’s heritage—history, roots, and culture—is essential for identity, strength, and direction of any sovereign state, much like a tree needs roots to grow and survive.

Sincerely,

Eric Phillips

Chair, Guyana Reparations Committee

Vice Chair, Caricom Reparations Commission

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African commemorations have been ignored or marginalised

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